Summer Lovin

Anyone currently hating their summer needs to come live with me and my friends for a week...then you will  love your summer. Everyday brings something great here at Dixie Red Sands in St George, Utah. I didn't get a chance to blog last week so let's do a quick recap of last week (June 11th-17th) Monday for FHE we had our first activity with the Buena-Vista ward. It was bittersweet, I loved getting to know new people but I missed the regulars I usually see at FHE. Tuesday was my sweet roommate Randi's birthday; I love birthdays and was thrilled to plan hers. With all of us working it was really difficult to make every minute special for her. The real party started when she got off work-Holly decorated her door for when she came home, our stairs were decorated and we had a reserved parking stall for her! Nick took her to dinner then we took her to Fiesta Fun to do a couple rounds of go-karts. We brought her home for a Dairy Queen ice-cream cake and surprised her with sparklers!! It was the best! 

Friday after work Hol and I hit the road for Tooele, I was ecstatic and could not wait to go home and see my family! Friday we just watched a movie and went to bed, Saturday we hung out, cooked, played and just had a freaking great time!! My dad recently made a fire pit in our back yard-awesome I know-so I forced him to make us a fire so we could have smores and roasted star-bursts. It was so much fun and I loved every minute of it! Sunday we went to my grandparents house for a BBQ and we also talked about our Cruise in January...that's right folks this girl is going on a cruise. I am so so so excited and wish it was tomorrow! 

My cute parents!

That is last week now for this week! Monday for FHE we had a BBQ and played a get to know ya game, there are a lot of new faces and names that I need to remember. Tuesday Aubrey had a softball game and then we went to the Tuacahn to see Hairspray! It was so good and if you have a chance you should go, I also can't wait to see Aladdin it's going to be epic! 

The remainder of the week was spent working, going to the gym (Rand and I did so good this week), going to institute-we talked about the Atonement it was so very good, and just hanging out. Friday I deep cleaned my apartment and went through a ton of old papers. Saturday Hol, Tiana and I hung out, went to the Temple, watched lots of TV, and ended the night watching Man on a Ledge which is so good if you haven't seen it you should. Today was good it was the first Sunday in the new ward and it wasn't bad at all. The college building is not my favorite but I can handle it. We even had the opportunity to go back to the morningside ward-my beautiful sister sang in their sacrament meeting. It was absolutely amazing!! It brought me to tears and I am just so proud of her and want her to know that! I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Radiant Randi :)

Today might be just another day for you but for the girls of apt. 201  it's BIRTHDAY TIME!!! Today is June 12, 2012 and it just happens to be Randi Danielle Stratton's birthday! Since today is her 19th birthday I am going to give you 19 things you must know about her! I came to know Randi after she graduated high school in 2011 from Bonanza high located in Las Vegas, Nevada. In high school she was an avid lacrosse player...how sweet is that?! I wish I would have met her sooner so that I could have watched her play. She moved to St George that summer and after 2 different living situations she finally made her way to become my roommate-third times a charm I guess.

Her and her bestie Emily

Randi is such a family person-she loves her family.  She especially loves her mom, she is one of those girls that would live with her mom forever if it was socially acceptable! She does anything and everything with her family...she even shares her birthday with her older sister!! 

family pic at her sisters wedding!

all her siblings...plus Nick!

20 and 18..sister birthday! 

Randi loves to eat gold fish crackers and chicken (not together of course), she loves to sing in the shower with the radio blasting...every shower no matter what time it is. She loves many TV shows-Parenthood, Lost, Prison break, Glee, One Tree Hill, the bachelorette, the voice, and especially Law and Order: SVU.  She loves loves LOVES painting nails-she paints her fingers weekly sometimes even biweekly!

This is from last Christmas-notice all the nail things!

Last August Randi became the newest member of the LDS church, it was such a beautiful day and I am so glad I got to share it with her.

What else is there to know about Randi you ask? Well she currently works at Southern Utah Spine and Rehab as a receptionist and loves it. Her favorite flavor of blizzard at Dairy Queen is double fudge cookie dough. I recently found out that she loves the movie where the heart it-about the Walmart baby. She isn't a huge soda fan but when she is she enjoys a good Dr. Pepper. She owns an apple laptop and an iPhone-Steve Jobs was apparently her hero. She enjoys wearing Toms and owns a few pairs. She wears a snuggie with pride and brought snuggie into my life...I will forever be grateful to her!

This thing is her LIFE!

She owns a pair just like this! 

Randi just loves to laugh, she loves to be happy and have fun. She is so outgoing and loves just be active and doing something with her best friends and Fiance. Which brings me to my last thing-Nick Smith is Randi's best friend and the one she wishes to spend eternity with. They got engaged and April and plan to be married in December.

ENGAGED!!!

wedding countdown chain

 I love you Randi and hope you have thee best Birthday today!!  I am so glad that we became roommates one year ago and dread the day that you move out! 

Week full of Hoopla!!

I get so tired of figuring out a catchy post title...so I used thesaurus.com and typed 'fun' in the search box and through many clicks came across Hoopla-it means excitement I liked it will use the thesaurus more often. I started off this week at FHE where we played kickball, not a traditional kickball of course. The bases were little pools filled with water and the slide to home was a slip n' slide! So much fun and I loved it! I was a little sad because it was our last FHE as a full morningside YSA but nonetheless I had fun. 

Tuesday night we went to our weekly softball game to watch Aubrey play. To our dismay she didn't even play...ok she played one inning. It was still an alright game though, we were losing until the last inning and ended up only losing by 2 points. It was an 830 game so the weather was perfect and I didn't want to punch the sun in the face like last time. Plus we got snow cones before hand and the place to go is the snow shack on 700 south in the Mexican restaurant parking-lot. We all got one that was half peach half tigers blood-can you say DELICIOUS?!! It was like a party in my mouth. 

Wednesday was institute night and let me just say second chances are usually worth it and I mean it. This weeks lesson was so great and I learned so much! I can only hope that the next 5 weeks are just as fabulous. Thursday not much happened, I was so tired and just wanted to watch a movie. Randi and I were the only ones home so we decided to watch one of her all time favorite movies: Where the heart is. I had never heard nor seen it so I was a little worried during the first ten minutes but then it got better and I really like it. If you haven't seen it you definitely should it's on Netflix people look it up! 

Friday Tiana and I were left home alone so we went shopping and to dinner. She needed a new swimsuit and I just wanted to shop. We found really good deals at Kohls on suits and I will be going back on payday to get one or two myself! Tiana had a gift card to The Olive Garden so that is where we went-that place is always good and never a disappointment. After dinner we had the brilliant idea to visit Grafton-a ghost town right before Zion. Tiana, Aub, Kens, and I hopped in the car and locked ourselves in. We got to Grafton and were so scared that we didn't even leave the car!! Yes, yes I know scaredy baby pants are we but it was too much for us to handle. Next trip we will have boys with us and it won't be as scary...maybe. 

cemetery

creepy bridge you have to drive over!! 

It was seriously so creepy and I am surprised I didn't have nightmares!! Saturday was less scary! We slept in then ran to Target because we were bored. We sat in a freaking sweet swing/chair thing and took some pictures of course. The rest of the day consisted of the Temple, swimming, Walmart, cleaning, laundry, dinner date with Randi, and ended with a sleepover in the front room.

Today was a very sad day, the stake president came and reorganized our ward boundaries. I ended up being transferred to the Buena-Vista ward-it's a bittersweet feeling. I am really excited to meet new people and to see what this ward has in store for me but I have been in the morningside ward for almost 3 years now and I cried my eyes out all day.  I know that the lord has a plan for me and that this change is definitely a good one. I know that our stake president prayed, fasted, and pondered so much about this decision and I trust them. I hope everyone had a great weekend and that they have a fabulous week!! DON'T FORGET it's fathers day this upcoming weekend-get your dads something special! 

One busy little bee

I love being busy! I love having days where I am constantly going and can go to bed feeling exhausted and productive. Everyday this week I had something other then work and going to the gym planned! Monday was memorial day which for once means that I had a three day work less weekend-that NEVER happens to me! My roommates had the day off as well (except my sister ) so we decided to go hiking at Red Cliffs in Leeds. Tiana, Brandon, and I went and had a fabulous time. Red Cliffs is so very beautiful and I am so blessed to live in this remarkable area. After hiking we decided to go to Sonic's happy hour and get limeades!

  

After hiking we took a nap while watching the Hoarders marathon, then Hol and I went to FHE. We learned how to play pickelball and drank Frazzles! It was such a fun activity and we had a real good turn out considering it was memorial day! It was the best memorial day ever an I am so grateful for all those who have risked their lives for my freedom.

Aubrey recently joined a city softball league and Tuesday she played her very first game! Hol and I are her biggest fans and had to go! It was hot and the sun was blinding us but in the end it was so much fun to watch her-she is a pro!

Tuesday was also a very big day at our house..my best friend Tiana Marie Heid got engaged!! That's right people TT is getting married September 1, 2012. Brandon is a very lucky guy and I am so happy for them! 

Wednesday work was so crazy!!! Note to self: NEVER WORK THE DAY AFTER A HOLIDAY...or two days rather. My van was so full and packed to the brim. I have never had so many items in one van! These pictures don't even do it justice!! This was a super long day and I am glad it doesn't happen very often! Wednesday night I went to institute...it was not good. I did not like the teaching styles and there were so many young-ins I felt like I was back in seminary...which isn't bad but I just didn't like it. I might give it one more chance but we'll see.  

Thursday was my only night that I didn't have anything so I spent the night with my sister watching TV and the movie Gone with Amanda Seyfried. Friday night everyone was gone except Randi and I so she went with me to Jessica Mitchell's wedding reception, the place was spectacular and Jessica looked amazing!! 

I didn't get a picture with her because she was dancing like a fool when I got there but it's alright. I love this girl and am so happy for her and Michael!! 

Saturday morning we had the brilliant idea to get up super early and watch the sunrise, 5:40 came to early and we were so tired. In the end it was such a good idea and I loved every minute of our adventure! I said it already but I'll say it again-I LOVE ST. GEORGE!! It is a very beautiful place. 

After the sunrise we went back to bed for awhile then I got up went to the temple and I got my haircut-nothing drastic just a  trim. I was left at home all day so I did laundry and cleaned house. I made brownies and went to Walmart with Hol and Aub after Hol got off work. In the end it was a very enjoyable and productive night!

BEFORE

AFTER

Since today was fast Sunday I thought I would share my testimony with you. I know the gospel is true I wouldn't live it if it wasn't. I know that the Savior died for me and he knows all the pains and things I go through every second of everyday. I am so grateful for Temples and the opportunity I have to be with my family forever! I love the scriptures, prophets, and all the things that increase my learning daily. I love the power of prayer and fact that I have a father in heaven who listens and answers in his time and way. I trust in the Lord with all my heart and know things happen for a reason and all my hopes and dreams will happen when they are meant to happen. I hope everyone had a great Sunday and if you are feeling down and alone just pray and you will be comforted I promise!